A. Authority: The City Council shall have the authority to prescribe by ordinance or resolution the rates to be charged for water and sewer service to the customer from time to time and may prescribe the date of billing, a discount for payment within a prescribed period, penalty for failure to pay within such period and such further rules and regulations relative to the use and operation of such systems as it may deem necessary from time to time.
B. Meter Readings; Billing Areas: The City Council may provide a system of water meter reading by postcard, meter person, or any other method deemed suitable to the purpose by the Council. The Council may also establish billing areas or districts and provide for the reading of meters and billing charges by calendar quarters or monthly quarters or such periodic intervals as the City Council shall determine suitable and necessary from time to time. The sewer charge for residential users shall be based on the lower of the actual water use for that quarter or the average winter consumption; the winter use for that quarter or the average winter consumption; the winter consumption shall be a minimum of two thousand (2,000) gallons determined on a monthly basis. The sewer consumption for commercial users shall be the actual water use.
C. Discontinuance of Service: The City reserves the right to discontinue service to any customer of the water and sanitary sewer system without notice when necessary for repairs, additional connection or reconnection, for nonpayment of charges or bills, or for disregard of any rules or regulations in connection with the use or operation of such system. Whenever any service has been discontinued for nonpayment of the charges or bills, for disregard of any rules or regulations, or for any other purpose, it shall not be resumed except upon payment of the charges or bills accrued, together with interest thereon, or upon compliance with the rules and regulations previously violated and payment to the City of a restoration fee established in the City’s fee ordinance.
D. Delinquent Bills; Lien: In the event a water or sewer bill is unpaid at the end of the calendar quarter or the billing period under which the billing is sent out, the billing shall be considered delinquent, the service may be discontinued as provided in subsection C of this Section, and the City Council may cause the charges noted in such billing to become a lien against the property served by certifying to the County Auditor the amount of such delinquent bill in accordance with the Statutes of the State.
E. Final Meter Readings; Water Shutoff; Reconnections: After a final meter reading, the water shall be forthwith shut off, unless a responsible party assumes the obligation of payment of the new water bill. Any reconnection or turn on outside of the Water and Wastewater Division’s regular working hours shall be charged a fee established by the City’s fee ordinance.
F. Meter Failures; Determination of Charges: If a meter fails to register or accurately measure the water, the charge for water consumed shall be paid for at the established rate based upon past average billings.